novellhall Chapter 266 Work Suspension [5000]
Chapter 266 Work Suspension [5000]
Chapter 265 Work Suspension [5000] (Seeking Monthly Tickets)
Chen Xun understood what Robert meant.
This immediately excluded Apple's official presence.
The FBI report directly characterized the incident as a user account breach.
Following the leak, a wave of negative comments about Apple has been circulating online: "Apple is not secure."
"Tech companies are violating privacy!"
They're shifting the blame to the platform.
The FBI report now essentially says that while the platform had vulnerabilities, the primary responsibility lies with the hackers for targeted crimes.
"The FBI press conference is scheduled for 2 PM, in front of the Federal Building in Los Angeles. Do you want to go?"
Rob advised on the phone, "Your lawyer suggests you don't go, to avoid being besieged by reporters. You can just watch the whole thing live from home."
"I'm definitely not going!"
-
Chen Xun suddenly thought of Edison Chen from his previous life.
He has no intention of leaving the entertainment industry.
If he gets surrounded by reporters and they ask him who initiated the pose in the photo?
How should he answer?
The best way to deal with this kind of thing is to ignore it.
The internet explodes quickly, but the hype fades just as fast.
This matter will disappear from the internet after a while.
He opened Twitter, and it was already in an uproar.
Although the FBI has not yet held a press conference, the news has already leaked, and various discussions are everywhere.
Someone shared details of the vulnerability, and the comments section erupted into a heated debate.
"Hilarious! So it's not that Apple is bad, it's that some people's passwords are too simple?"
"Using your own birthday as a password, it's no wonder you get hacked."
"What do you mean by a simple password? No matter how complex the password is, if someone tries it an infinite number of times, it won't hold up. This is clearly Apple's fault!"
"Celebrities all pretend to be high and mighty, taking those kinds of photos in private, and now that they've been exposed, they act like victims. How hypocritical!"
Some people are also spreading rumors that "Apple's servers have been hacked, and our mobile phone information is no longer safe."
A bunch of people panicked and said they would uninstall Apple and switch to Android phones.
At 1:50 p.m., Chen Xun sat in his living room at home, with the TV tuned to CNN.
The head of the FBI's cybercrime division is a middle-aged woman who wears glasses, named Lisa Moreno.
She stood at the front of the stage, with slides of technical analysis on the screen behind her.
"After a 72-hour emergency investigation, we have confirmed that this large-scale privacy breach was an organized transnational cybercrime."
Lisa spoke calmly: "The criminal gang illegally obtained access to the Apple iCloud accounts of more than 130 public figures through phishing emails, brute-force attacks, and exploiting software vulnerabilities, and downloaded and distributed their private photos and videos."
She pulled up the next slide, which showed a diagram of the attack path.
"It needs to be clarified that Apple's servers were not compromised; the criminal activity was a targeted intrusion against individual accounts."
During the Q&A session, a reporter asked, "So, do the victims bear any responsibility? For example, for using weak passwords or clicking on suspicious links?"
Lisa's expression was serious: "What password the victim used or whether they clicked on a link does not change the fact that a crime was committed."
"Just because your door lock isn't strong enough doesn't mean a thief has the right to break in."
"Our investigation focuses on the criminal acts themselves, rather than how victims should protect themselves. The latter is a matter of safety education, while the former is a matter of criminal offenses."
The press conference was simultaneously streamed live on Twitter.
The #FBI report# is trending.
The comments section began to divide: "So hackers are criminals, there's no denying it!"
"But why would female celebrities take those kinds of photos and upload them to the cloud? Whose fault is it if they accidentally did it?"
"Didn't you hear me, upstairs? They said that a loosely locked door doesn't mean you can break in and rob someone!"
"So Chen Xun is also a victim?"
"The photos of him and Jennifer weren't leaked from the cloud; they were taken by paparazzi. That's a different matter—"
Fifteen minutes after the press conference ended, Chen Xun updated his Twitter account.
In short: "Unauthorized access to private accounts is a crime, and the perpetrator bears 100% of the responsibility."
"The hackers attacked user accounts, not Apple servers. Stop spreading rumors."
"The photos of me and Ms. Jennifer Lawrence were taken by paparazzi, which is a violation of privacy and a crime. I have already hired a lawyer to handle this matter."
The accompanying image is a screenshot from an FBI press conference.
This tweet was retweeted over 50,000 times in ten minutes.
Supportive voices began to emerge: "Finally, someone has explained the technology clearly!"
"So all those previous claims that Apple was being criticized were just stirring up trouble?"
"Chen Xun's response was firm; he didn't try to gain sympathy, he just presented the facts."
"Can those who said the female celebrity deserved it shut up now?"
But opposition persists: "So what exactly is your relationship with Jennifer?"
"Having multiple relationships at the same time and still acting like it's okay?"
When will "The Ancient One" be re-released? I haven't read it yet!
The Hollywood photo scandal is making headlines online.
Weibo, however, was a sea of joy.
"I think it's a great honor for the country, guys, that Xun Ge could handle Hollywood goddesses like Jennifer and Anne!"
"Haha, the person upstairs hit the nail on the head! It used to be Hollywood male stars sleeping with Chinese female stars, now our Brother Xun is doing the opposite, awesome!"
"I've already started trending this hashtag #ChenXunWinsGloryForTheCountry#, feel free to debate!"
"Some people say that Brother Xun has a messy private life. Please, which Hollywood star has a clean private life? Don't be so obviously hypocritical. Male stars who have affairs are called charming, but Brother Xun is called a scumbag?"
"Support Brother Xun, support Jennifer, and hope the hacker is caught soon so everyone can have some peace and quiet."
Chen Xun couldn't help but laugh as he scrolled through the comments.
Domestic fans have a unique style.
What was originally a serious matter became more relaxed after they talked about it.
He casually liked a few comments from fans, especially the one about winning glory for the country, and even replied with a "dog head" emoji.
The negative comments about him on Twitter continue.
"What kind of righteous hero are you pretending to be? You're juggling multiple relationships yourself, and you still have the nerve to accuse others of cyberbullying?"
"Exactly, all that high-sounding talk is just an attempt to whitewash himself. He's slept with so many female celebrities, and he still has the nerve to talk about freedom?"
""
"Chen Xun is just an opportunistic foreigner who made his way in Hollywood through shady means. Now that he's in trouble, he's trying to get away with playing the victim?"
Some people deliberately stirred up trouble: "Even if it was the hacker's fault, why did you take those kinds of photos? And with so many female celebrities, what else is that but a scumbag?"
Chen Xun didn't argue with these people; there was no need. Reasoning with argumentative people was a waste of time.
He opened Christine's Twitter account and saw that she had retweeted his post with the caption: "Freedom is never an excuse for others to judge you. Victims are innocent."
Jennifer also reposted it, adding: "Thank you Chen Xun. We don't need to apologize to anyone. The guilty ones are those who steal and spread privacy."
Anne and Kate also shared it.
Immediately, actresses who had been embroiled in the photo scandal, as well as many Hollywood female artists, began to share and voice their support.
The topic of #VictimsAreInnocent# has gradually overshadowed #BanningChenXun#.
Public opinion began to shift.
That evening, the FBI held another press conference through official channels: "To date, we have arrested three middlemen in the United States who were responsible for forwarding the photos stolen by hackers to various social media platforms and dark web forums for profit."
The spokesperson stated, "We have contacted law enforcement agencies in several Eastern European countries to conduct cross-border joint law enforcement operations and are making every effort to apprehend the core members of the Ghost Circus hacking group. Further arrest results are expected soon."
A reporter raised their hand and asked, "Does the hacker have any more unreleased information?"
The spokesperson paused for a moment before replying, "We are fully investigating whether there is any more undisclosed information, and we cannot rule out that possibility. However, we will do our utmost to prevent further privacy breaches."
Another reporter asked, "There are rumors that this hacking attack was orchestrated by former Warner executive Michael. Is this rumor true?"
"We are investigating this matter, and there is currently insufficient evidence to prove a connection between the two."
The spokesperson stated, "However, Mr. Michael did indeed hire hackers to investigate Mr. Chen Xun. We will include this in our investigation, and we will release the results as they become available."
This statement caused an uproar in the live stream's comment section.
Some people had previously speculated that it was Warner's revenge.
The FBI has now confirmed that Michael hired hackers, although they didn't say it was related to the photo scandal, but that's enough to make people speculate.
"Holy crap! Is it confirmed?"
"Michael hired hackers to target Chen Xun, but things went wrong, resulting in a large-scale photo leak?"
"It must be him! Warner Bros. was really messed up by Chen Xun. Their box office fraud was exposed, and Michael Jackson himself went to jail. They held a grudge and wanted to ruin Chen Xun's reputation, but they ended up dragging all the Hollywood actresses down with them."
"Has Michael gone mad? He's willing to break the law and ruin so many lives just for revenge?"
"Warner Bros. is definitely going to take the blame for this. The box office fraud was bad enough, but now they're involved in the photo scandal. They're probably doomed."
Chen Xun watched the live stream and felt a pang of worry for Michael.
It seems Michael is doomed this time.
He was ready to add fuel to the fire.
Michael is now in prison.
Even if he really did instigate it, he can't cause any more trouble, but this matter will definitely not be left like this.
He took out his phone and called his lawyer, asking him to follow up on the matter and, once it was confirmed that Michael was involved in the photo scandal, to immediately sue him and hold him legally accountable.
I hung up the phone.
-
Chen Xun scrolled through Twitter.
The hashtag #MichaelHiresHackers# has already climbed to the top of the trending list.
The hashtag #WarnersGetOutOfHollywood is also trending rapidly.
Warner Music issued an urgent statement, once again distancing itself from Michael.
They stated that Michael's actions were personal and unrelated to Warner Bros., and that they would fully cooperate with the FBI investigation.
However, in the eyes of netizens, this statement is nothing short of a blatant attempt to cover something up.
"Stop trying to justify it. Michael is a Warner executive. Do you think Warner wouldn't know what he did?"
"When there was the box office fraud before, Warner Bros. said it was Michael Jackson's doing. Now they're saying this again? Who believes that?"
"I'm permanently against Warner Bros., and I'll never watch a Warner Bros. movie again!"
Chen Xun looked at these comments without much reaction.
Warner's fate is none of his business.
He only cares about two things now.
First, the hackers can be caught as soon as possible; second, "Ancient One" can be re-released as soon as possible.
He picked up his phone and sent Christine a text message: "Did you see the press conference? The FBI has made progress; the hacker will be caught soon."
The text message was sent, but no reply was received immediately.
Chen Xun didn't urge him, put away his phone, and prepared to drive home.
As soon as he reached the car, he saw a familiar figure – Jennifer's assistant, holding a folder, walking quickly toward him.
"Mr. Chen Xun,"
The assistant handed over a folder: "This is what Miss Jennifer asked me to give you. It contains documents related to the class-action lawsuit, and you need to sign to authorize it."
"The lawyer said your testimony is important and will help us better hold the hackers and the distribution platform accountable."
Chen Xun took the folder and nodded: "Okay, I understand. I will read the documents carefully and have Robert send them over tomorrow after I sign them."
After his assistant left, Chen Xun opened the folder and quickly flipped through it. It contained mostly litigation-related forms and statements, nothing complicated, just requiring signatures and authorization.
He put the folder in the car and was about to open the car door when his phone rang again. It was Kevin calling.
"Chen, did you watch the FBI press conference?"
Kevin's voice was excited: "Great, the truth is out. You're the victim, not some scumbag. The pressure from the board is much less."
"I've seen it!"
Chen Xun asked, "Kevin, when will 'The Ancient One' be re-released?"
Kevin was silent for a few seconds on the other end of the phone.
"Chen, this—is a bit complicated."
"How so?"
Chen Xun felt that things were not as simple as he had thought.
He originally thought that the FBI's official involvement would reduce the heat of the issue.
There is a chance that "Ancient One" will be re-released.
"As for the theaters, AMC and RegaI's attitude is that even if the FBI clarifies that you are a victim, the heat of the photo scandal has not completely subsided."
Kevin lowered his voice: "They're worried that a re-release would cause controversy, and some viewers might protest in theaters."
"For example, some people organize a boycott, cause trouble during the screening, and affect other viewers."
Kevin sighed: "Theatrical releases are business people. They don't want to take this risk. Besides, 'Ancient One' has already been showing for three weeks, and its normal lifespan is almost over. Rescheduling it would be costly and the returns would be uncertain."
Chen Xun remained silent.
He understands this principle.
Hollywood is a place of fame and fortune, but also a place of risk.
Once a project is tainted, even if it's just been splashed with dirty water, it takes time to clean it up.
Time is precisely the most precious thing in the film industry.
It seems there's no hope left!
The only thing left for "The Ancient One" to do is stop at 10 billion yuan at the box office!
"The top management held three meetings!"
Kevin continued, "The final conclusion is: respect the theaters' decision and do not force a re-release."
"The good news is that your follow-up projects won't be shelved. The board has approved the FBI report, confirming that you are a victim of crime, not a perpetrator, but—"
"Just what?"
"They want you to keep a low profile for a while."
Kevin paused, seemingly choosing his words carefully: "Although the truth about the photo scandal has come to light, public memory won't disappear so quickly."
"You're currently generating too much buzz, and it's all controversial buzz, so it's not a good time to launch a new project right away."
Chen Xun understood.
Cooling-off period.
Hollywood's standard procedure for handling celebrity crises.
Let the person involved disappear for a while, and then slowly make a comeback after the public opinion calms down.
"How long?" he asked.
"At least six months."
Kevin said, "During this time, you can take on independent films, perform in stage plays, or even give lectures at universities, as long as you don't take on mainstream commercial blockbusters and don't attract widespread attention."
Chen Xun hung up the phone.
He didn't feel sad; on the contrary, he felt relieved.
After three years of hard work, I finally have a chance to take a break.
He could choose to take on some independent films, which would be a good way to boost his stats and maybe even get a shot at an Oscar.
The final gross of "The Ancient One" was 10.18 billion.
This ranking puts him third among Marvel solo origin films, behind only Iron Man 1 and Black Panther.
Chen Xun started the car and drove towards Beverly Hills.
I passed an AMC theater on the way, and the big screen at the entrance was playing GG from "Collapse".
Warner Bros. hasn't taken it all off the shelves yet, it seems they're planning to make one last profit before it launches on streaming.
On the screen, Johnson runs between collapsing buildings, his expression resolute.
Chen Xun glanced at it and stepped on the gas.
After arriving home, he turned on his computer and checked his emails.
There were more than a dozen new emails in my inbox, most of them media interview requests.
Even at this stage, reporters still wanted to delve into his inner thoughts and feelings.
The next morning.
Chen Xun went to the law firm to sign the authorization documents for the class-action lawsuit.
Jennifer's legal team has collected authorizations from more than eighty victims.
They are preparing to file a joint lawsuit against the hacker group, the main distribution platform, and any possible masterminds behind it.
The initial claim amount is set at $500 million.
It's not just about providing financial compensation, but also about setting a legal precedent.
"This will be a long lawsuit."
The lead attorney, a Jewish woman in her sixties named Rachel Goldberg, is known for her tough stance: "It may take two or three years, but we must fight it. If we don't pursue this to the end this time, more people will be victimized next time."
Chen Xun signed his name on the document: "I will fully cooperate."
Rachel adjusted her glasses: "There's new information from the FBI."
"They tracked down a server belonging to the ghost circus in Latvia and are cooperating with local police to raid it."
"If all goes well, some key members may be apprehended within a week."
"What about Michael?"
"The chain of evidence is still being improved."
Rachel said, "We found that he hired hackers to investigate your transaction and communication records, but more evidence is needed to prove that he is directly related to the photo scandal."
"But don't worry, as long as one hacker is caught, there may be someone willing to be a witness for the prosecution."
Chen Xun nodded.
As he left the law firm, he ran into Jennifer in the lobby.
She was wearing large sunglasses, simple jeans and a white shirt, and was accompanied by two assistants.
She stopped in her tracks when she saw Chen Xun.
"All signed?"
"You've signed it, what about you?"
"Just signed!"
Jennifer took off her sunglasses; her eyes were a little red and swollen, but her gaze was firm: "Rachel said this lawsuit will be tough, but I want to fight it."
"I support you!"
The two walked out of the building side by side, and the paparazzi at the entrance immediately raised their cameras.
Jennifer didn't flinch. Instead, she turned around and calmly said to the camera, "We are fighting for all those whose privacy has been violated. If you have any professional conscience, you should be hunting down the criminals instead of surrounding the victims."
After saying that, she opened the car door and got in.
Chen Xun also got into his car.
The two cars drove away one after the other, with the paparazzi's car following behind, but they gave up after a few blocks. There's big news today: Warner Bros. announced that "San Andreas" will be pulled from theaters early and streamed entirely.
Reporters all rushed to Warner's headquarters to confront them.